A invoice to legalize leisure marijuana in New Hampshire is headed to a legislative convention committee after the Area of Representatives on Thursday declined to approve amendments to the measure made via the state Senate. The invoice was once authorized via the Area in April sooner than heading to the Senate, the place an amended model of the law was once authorized via senators remaining week.
The New Hampshire Area of Representatives rejected a bid to concur with the Senate’s amendments via a vote of 117-252 on Thursday. However a separate vote of 261-108 cleared the way in which for the law to visit a convention committee of Area and Senate negotiators, preserving alive the hopes of hashish coverage reform advocates who wish to see a leisure marijuana legalization invoice to pass the end line this 12 months.
A invoice to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire is headed to a legislative convention committee the place … [+]
Democratic state Rep. Jared Sullivan adverse approving the Senate’s amendments to the law, characterizing the Area model as a powerful bipartisan invoice.
“Sadly participants of the opposite frame determined to intestine that paintings,” Sullivan mentioned, in line with a record from InDepthNH. “This expands govt.”
After years of opposition to legalizing marijuana in New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu mentioned remaining 12 months that he would signal a legalization invoice that integrated tight controls on leisure weed gross sales. In step with phrases set via the governor’s place of work, Sununu mentioned he would simplest approve a invoice that restricted adult-use hashish to fifteen dispensaries statewide, with the companies managed via the state underneath a strict franchise type.
The Area model of the law (HB 1633) didn’t come with provisions for state-run franchise pot retail outlets, main Sununu to promise remaining month that he would now not signal the measure. Within the Senate, amendments so as to add the franchise type had been authorized in committee, main the entire frame to approve the changed model of the law remaining week.
Governor Says He Will Signal Senate Model
On Wednesday, Sununu mentioned in a radio interview that he would approve the Senate model of the invoice. When requested if he would signal the law, the governor responded, “I might.”
“I feel the Senate model is fine,” Sununu mentioned, NH Magazine reported. “They put any other stuff in there that I wasn’t essentially on the lookout for, however they’re now not deal breakers.”
However the governor added a message for Area participants who’re “enthusiastic about this shifting ahead.”
“In the event that they wish to make important adjustments, then it’s now not going to move. It’s simply that straightforward,” the governor mentioned, including, “If the Area doesn’t wish to do it, they’re going to select to not do it.”
If handed, the Senate model would legalize the ownership of as much as two oz. of marijuana for adults elderly 21 and older. A most of 15 dispensaries could be operated underneath the state franchise type, with authorized pot shops paying a fifteen% “franchise price” on gross per month gross sales. The New Hampshire Liquor Fee could be tasked with licensing weed companies and regulating the hashish business.
The Area model of the invoice allowed for privately owned companies to function hashish shops regulated via the state underneath an “company retailer” type. The invoice additionally has a non-public ownership restrict this is two times the Senate model, permitting adults to own as much as 4 oz. of pot. Moreover, the Area invoice has a decrease tax price of 12% and exempts purchases of scientific marijuana from taxation.
Because the invoice to legalize marijuana within the Granite State heads to the convention committee, hashish coverage reform advocates say they’re inspired to look that the trouble remains to be on target.
“I’m happy to look New Hampshire proceed its efforts to legalize adult-use hashish,” Jen Flanagan, director of regulatory coverage for legislation company Vicente LLP, writes in an electronic mail. “As with many coverage proposals, the main points are a very powerful to making an equitable and robust regulated marketplace that gives secure, examined merchandise to grownup customers. I am hoping they may be able to come to a compromise and sign up for the abutting states within the northeast that experience legalized hashish.”
New Hampshire is the one state in New England that has now not legalized leisure marijuana. If the legalization invoice is authorized, New Hampshire will sign up for the 24 states that experience legalized hashish for adults.
